


Liquid Mercury

by Gallagher8



Series: Josephine O'Connell [5]
Category: The Mummy (2017), The Mummy Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22339030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gallagher8/pseuds/Gallagher8
Summary: When the descendent of the O'Connell-Carnahan-Bay family finds herself in Mosul, Iraq excavating an Egyptian sarcophagus she knew that this would be a find that would put her in the history books like her family. However, Nick Morton has made that very difficult by unleashing the power of Ahmanet over the entirety of the world. Will she live up to her ancestors legacy? Only time will tell. Follow Elizabeth O'Connell as she makes her way through the present time Mummy adventure trying to save the world from a power that cannot be contained.
Relationships: Nick Morton/Original Character(s)
Series: Josephine O'Connell [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1261178
Kudos: 2





	1. 5,000 B.C.

A beautiful girl with shoulder length black hair stood fighting with her opponent. They used wooden spears to fight, she dodged and twisted avoiding his blows. Her white dress flowing around her as she moved. Imitating the whirling winds that whipped the sands of Egypt. You could tell the girl was from royalty almost the second you saw her. She had won this round, the wooden spear now at her much larger opponents neck. Smiling she looked towards her father for his approval.

"Princess Ahmanet. Beautiful cunning and ruthless. Sole heir to the throne of Egypt. The Pharaohs kingdom would one day be hers to rule without mercy or fear. And Ahmanet would be worshipped as a living God."

Her father, was very proud of her as they looked out to the pyramids of Egypt he prided her in the art of fighting, knowing she would need it when she became Queen. As the pharaoh and her shared a glance she knew that dream may not be true as his glance broke off for his Queen.

"But Pharaoh had a son. The boy now, would inherit her destiny. And Ahmanet understood power was not given it had to be taken."

She had watched the birth of her brother. With anger flowing through her veins she needed a plan and fast. Power would not be hers if she did not take it back. She walked through the temple knowing what she needed to do. Straight to the library where she would find the Set documents.

"Vowing revenge she made a choice to embrace evil. Set. The God of death. They made a pact. A pact that would unleash darkness itself."

The girl cut her wrist watching it as the blood ran down her wrist. Unrolling one of the dead scrolls, she read the ancient text aloud. Set would give her the power and strength she needed to become Queen. Once the blood met the water the crows above her started to caw and squawk to life. The fire rustled wildly as the shadow behind her offered her Set's dagger. In pain the girl took the dagger into her hands with no thoughts of repercussions. The metal burned her skin as soon as she touched it. Falling over in pain the girl watched as her arms became covered in ancient text that burned their way through and over her body. She slowly rose the irises of her eyes doubling.

"Ahmanet was reborn a monster."

It was like a darkness overcame her body. Complete and utter darkness. She stood above her father about to slit his throat. He awoke before she was able to finish the job. No remorse showed in the doubled eyes, she slit his throat with the dagger, blood splattering on her face. She did the same in the next room with her mother and brother.

"Yet the pact was not complete. She vowed to bring the demon into our world in the body of a mortal man. Together, they would take their vengeance upon humanity."

She straddled her lover, the man who understood her twisted ways and did not flinch when she reared up with the dagger attempting to kill him so Set could take his form. Before it could be complete she felt the darts filled with mercury in her neck. Screaming she fell dropping the dagger. The stone releasing from it. The man scrambled from beneath her to save her from sudden fate. Sacrificing himself anyway he screamed out in pain when the mercury reached his blood supply, he fell, dead. Ahmanet reached for the dagger and stone in her anguish, though she did not reach them in time. She was dragged away and forced down onto the table for mummifications. The guards wrapping her up in gauze trying to contain the screaming girl.

"For her sins, Ahmanet was mummified alive. Her body carried far from Egypt. There she would remain, condemned to eternal darkness. But death is a doorway and the past cannot remain buried forever."


	2. Dr. Elizabeth O'Connell

"Death is but the doorway to new life. We live today, we shall live again. In many forms shall we return."

I read from my great grandmother's journal. Her name, Josephine O'Connell. She was married to Rick O'Connell, sister to Evelyn Bay and Jonathan Carnahan, and mother to Victoria O'Connell. Victoria had married Alex Bay. And they had my father—Howard O'Connell, named after their parents parents. Victoria had decided to keep her last name in the marriage.

I won't lie it was a bit intimidating when your family has this legacy that will carry their name into the history books forever. I had considered Josephine the greatest adventurer of all time, though she was a bit of a pistol. She was my idol from the first time I met her. It was hard to choose a favorite in a family where everyone was so driven and had a name for themselves. But I knew I wanted to carry on their legacy at a young age.

I looked at the textbook sitting next to me flipping through the crisp pages trying to find where I knew that quote from. I looked around my bed seeing all the books I had sprawled out around me: Set Volume 1, 2 and 3, Tuthmose, Menehptre, Nefretiri and Sekhmet. leaned back into my decorative pillows sighing and looking up at the ceiling. Looking to the left my alarm clock it showed almost 2 in the morning, I needed to get some rest before the mission tomorrow. My job? I was an archeologist with the Marine Corp. But based off the other branches in the DoD I was needed everywhere within the military, this time I was on assignment with the US Army. I analyzed the journal in my off time. I needed to figure this out before I went to bed.

"Death is but the doorway to new life..." I spoke out loud trailing off slowly. Then it hit me I flew off my bed at rapid speed looking for a photo of the Book of the Dead. I grabbed the photo from my desk. Quickly scanning the hieroglyphics, realizing that this was indeed what I had been looking for. I smiled in victory. The quote was an Egyptian prayer of resurrection. It was probably in Set Volume 2 as well. Breaking news on the TV in my room stirred me out of my thoughts. I turned the TV up and listened intently.

"The Crossrail is the biggest construction project in Europe. Carving 26 miles of new commuter train tunnels beneath the surface of London. But today, an ancient tomb filled with the coffins of crusader knights... People don't realize that London is a giant graveyard. A modern city built on centuries of death. Because of the tombs proximity to the Thames half the space is flooded, is that right doctor? There are even more coffins submerged under water. The tomb appears to have been built during the second Crusade which means it's filled with the bodies of crusader knights who invaded Egypt before returning to England. It has also revealed a treasure trove of secrets about London's history."

I nodded slowly as the reporters talked. They showed pictures of the walls and burial site. I quickly saw something in the corner of my eye. There were hieroglyphics, I stared at the TV hoping I didn't just make that up in my mind. I pulled out my phone to take a picture of it before it left the screen. I looked around the room pulling my hair from the messy bun I had it in. It was insane that people had no idea Europe's underground was full of skeletons beneath them. Just think of the Parisian Catacombs. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the journal from the bed.

"The past cannot remain buried forever. In my lifetime, I have unearthed many ancient mysteries. At last, this tomb reveals antiquities darkest secret. A secret erased from history and forgotten through time."

I looked at the words before me and sat back down on the bed. Evelyn helped Josephine write sometimes. The way the words flowed were perfect as Evelyn would've written. Of course, I had read her 'fiction' books of their adventures, however, she did enjoy to elaborate sometimes. I leaned back against the pillows again feeling the sleepiness overcome my will to work. At around 5am I heard the buzzing of my cell on the nightstand.

"Yes?" I asked the person on the other end of the call.

"Dr. Elizabeth O'Connell?" He asked making sure it was I that answered the phone.

"Yes?" I asked again.

"We need you at Mosul, Sgt. Morton fucked us royally this time." Colonel Greenway said to me on the other end. I groaned, Nick Morton would be the death of me. I've known him for a while he was a notorious soldier-of-fortune. He sold antiquities on the black market that he'd find on his deployments and reap the illegal benefits. I had more run-ins with him then I'd like to admit.

"Alright, I'll be there in about two hours. Make sure he doesn't touch anything!" I told Greenway. I had been staying in a hotel in Tal Afar and would have to drive my way to Mosul, Iraq. I packed my books away and threw on some new clothes grabbing a light jacket on my way out of the hotel. I pressed the button on the jeep the Army had rented for me to unlock it. I threw my suitcases, tools and books into the backseat then got in. Throwing my seatbelt on I peeled out of the lot driving my way to meet Greenway and Morton. I gripped my steering wheel hard with one thought going through my mind as I got onto the highway: He better not have fucked up my scene.


	3. Mistakes

“We are liberators of precious antiquities.” The words flew threw my head as I pulled in where the helicopters were landing. I knew the words forwards and backwards, those were Nick Mortons famous words. To Justify his looting and stealing of precious antiquities of the world. He certainly knew how to talk himself out of a situation. It never amused me in the slightest. He didn’t know I was here but soon he would, the wrath I would lay upon him when I got him alone... He had no idea what was coming. I drove up to this massive hole in the ground. Grinding my teeth together in anger I threw open my door slamming it behind me letting them know I had arrived. I kept my rage under control as I noticed there were other soldiers around the site. My blonde hair was flying with the blades of the chopper winding down. I basically stomped like a toddler up to the Greenway, Morton and Vail.

“One in which two assholes from long range reconnaissance, that would be you. Run all over northern Iraq, just one step ahead of the enemy. Except, instead of hunting for the enemy you hunt for antiquities stealing whatever isn't nailed down and selling it on the black market. Meanwhile, these fanatical insurgents are trying to erase 5,000 years of history unwillingly cover your tracks. It's a pretty good scam.” I caught the tail end of their conversation. Colonel Greenway recited almost the exact words I had told him about Sgt. Morton a year or two ago. 

“Let me guess, you stole a map?” I rolled my eyes he reminded me of the late Jonathan Carnahan. Nick Morton was a well built man, dark brown hair almost black with green eyes. The first thing that attracted me to him the first time I met him. But, he was just in it for the money and the gold. A lavish lifestyle would satisfy his needs until death. No matter what he did, I was always left cleaning up the mess.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” He stated smirking at me knowing I knew he did.

“Sergeant Morton!” I heard a girl scream behind me. I rolled my eyes probably another one of his floozie one night stands. I spun around to see one of my colleagues that got on my nerves an awful lot. Of course, nothing would make this better than 2 blondes and a couple of thieves.

“Where is it?” Ah I knew it. I smiled in my victory. He stole the map from Dr. Halsey. She was involved in some strange things I never wanted to ask about again when I had found out the first time. She was not military and she certainly did not have authority over this scene. Though I knew exactly who sent her, the same man had been trying to sway me over to his company for some time now.

“What? Where is what?” Nick asked her feigning confusion.

“The letter. The map you stole from me.” She more than yelled at him.

“Map? How would I… Even have had the opportunity to steal anything from you, Miss?” I rolled my eyes, same old Nick trying to cover his tracks in front of his superior officer.

“NICK! Stop it. We all know your track record! So shut your mouth and just admit you stole the map!” I looked over to Dr. Halsey who was smirking at him.

“HALSEY. You as well. You know damn right you do not have authority here. The US military does and I don’t remember you enlisting or signing a contract so get the fuck out of here.” I lost my temper that had been bubbling up since the call I got this morning from Colonel Greenway.

“O’Connell, you’ve made your point. Dr. Halsey is here to take what she can back to a museum in London. To see if there is anything of value down in that cave. She’s here because you are military and assigned to go where we go. We are not even supposed to be here. If your unhappy with the situation I suggest you take it up with your boss.” Greenway simplified it for me. I frowned and pushed my hair out of my face.

“And it’s my job to make sure things of value get out and away from attack zones and enemy hands. Not Halsey.” I ground out from my clenched jaw.

“It’s looking like we will have to combine forces as it were O’Connell. Two heads are better than one...” I groaned hearing those words come from Greenways mouth. I walked away over to the hole in the ground. As the three discussed their business.

“Oh my god...” I breathed out. I was expecting a Persian tomb or something to do with Iraq. Not Egyptian. Halsey walked up next to me. The Egyptian mummy face stared back at me plain as day.

“It’s Egyptian.” She said from next to me.

“Why is that unusual?” Vail said from my other side.

“We are in the Persian Gulf, Vail.” Nick said to him. Trying to get closer to me. Nick and I had a complicated relationship we had been together in the past. But clearly the relationship went out in flames.

“Right. Egypt is a 1000 miles away so it's unusual.” Vail recovered himself.

“Put those down, hurry. Go get the rest.” Halsey told the men she was working with.

“Got it.” The man replied. I suppose it would be better working with a team that she had but I wanted this to be mine. I threw my keys at the man on her crew.

“Get mine too.” I told him gesturing towards the car.

“Yes ma’am.” He uttered out speechless. Halsey looked at me her mouth agape.

“It might be good to use your crew.” I told her and she smiled at me happily that I had joined her side.

“How did this happen?” I asked Nick.

“The integrity of the building fell due to the air strike. It hit the ground and left this tomb in its wake. Any idea who it is?” Nick asked me trying to get me to actually have a conversation with him. I shook my head as the sun beat down on me.

“I have to go down there to figure it out.” I said as the man got back with my gear. I started opening the backpack getting the rappelling gear out and hammering an anchor into the ground above I quickly set up the rappel got my harness on and clipped in.

“Colonel, this is a significant find. I need your men to secure this village. We have no idea what could be down there. The content of Tutankhamun's tomb alone were valued at 650 million pounds sterling. Understand?” She asked Greenway as Vail and Morton gave each other a glance. Greenway looked at me to confirm as Halsey set up her rappel unit next to mine.

“Sir, I know we aren't supposed to be here. Give us three hours we’ll get everything out and ready to go.” I told him.

“Colonel if I may with a couple shake charges we could just close this hole right up, and Miss Halsey and Elizabeth can come back another day.” Nick stepped in front of his superior officer trying to get the find for himself. The colonel and I knew all too well Morton would come back and steal everything out of the hole.

”Shut up!” Halsey and I both shouted at Nick.

“Okay, you have two hours. Then we’re moving out. You are getting in the hole with them.” He pointed at Nick for the last part. I smiled at the success.

“Him?” Halsey asked.

“Me?” Nick said at the same time. Questioning the Colonels judgement.

“Yep.” He told him slowly.

“Sir.” Nick tried to get himself out of the situation he so skillfully got himself into.

“You gear up, that's an order.” Greenway yelled at him.

“I'll be right here holding the rope Sarge.” Vail opened his mouth when he shouldn't have.

“Get in the damn hole, Vail!” Greenway told him too.

“Oh man!” He groaned out, not happy either. I clipped in and leaned myself over the hole. Starting to lower myself down. Halsey followed behind me as Vail and Morton tried to keep up.

“So… I’m sorry for the way things ended up happening.” Halsey spoke to me.

“Jennifer, it’s really not that big of a deal. Shit happens, we move on. Yeah?” I asked her. She stayed silent as I continued down.

“I just-- I’m sorry, I didn’t know when I had sex with him that this would happen.” She told me. I rolled my eyes, fed up with the situation not wanting to even know. She was once one of my good friends when I was with Nick before she got involved with Henry and that strange company.

“You knew. How could you not? I bitched about it all the time to you when you were my friend. He is incapable of keeping it in his pants.” I told her.

“I just needed some sort of release. He was there. It just happened.” She said back to me as it started to get darker within the cave. I switched on my flashlight. 

“As it usually does.” I told her and with that I was done with the conversation. I shouldn’t be mad at her, I had no right to be. He wasn’t mine anymore, I was free and completely over it.

“It’s fine. Just let’s get this over with.” I said again clearing my head as I started to near the bottom of the cave. I reached the bottom unhooking myself from the cables and shining my flashlight around. I saw beautifully ornate statues lining the walls. Not many hieroglyphics here, someone didn't want us to know where we were. 

“I am in a large antechamber of some kind. There is an inscription on the northern wall.” Jennifer said which I had to assume she was narrating for a video of some sort.

“Would you stop that!” I whisper yelled at her. She looked back at me before she could continue dust and dirt fell around us. I moved away from it and to the wall Jennifer was looking at.

“Are you kidding me?” Vail squealed out.

“Your fault, Nick. Your fault.” He yelled at his friend.

“The litany of Ra.” I said. As I continued forward into the cave.

“Do you see any treasure here, Nick? Because I don't. Do you know what I see? I see statues that I can't carry out.” I heard Vail whisper at Nick.

“Keep it down.” I heard Nick say to him. I pretended not to notice their banter. But it was too hilarious not to watch. Vail kept shining the flashlight in Nick’s face to annoy him and Nick kept pushing his arm out of his face.

“You keep it down.” Vail said back to him. I watched them silently as Nick looked up at the ceiling dripping on him.

“What is that? Mercury?” He asked looking towards me. I walked up to him grabbing his arm where the drop had landed.

“Yeah. The Ancient Egyptians believed that it weakened the evil spirits.” I explained to him, he wasn't much of a history buff like I was but I knew that he enjoyed learning.

“Well now we know better. This stuff will kill you.” He said to me a shred of a smirk on his face. I scoffed and threw his hand away from me.

“Yeah, after it makes you crazy.” Vail weighed in on the conversation I grumbled and walked away from the two idiots.

“There is mercury dripping from the ceiling into holes in the ground. Possibly to connect the..” I heard Jennifer say while walking back to Nick.

“It's a canal system leading all the way to…” I told her, she looked at me.

“Get the lights!” She said into her walkie talkie to the men on top of the hole. I looked around at what was instantly lit in front of me. We walked down some steps that were most likely carved by the men that put the tomb here.

“Oh my God.” I let out, the breath leaving my lungs. Seeing a pool a mercury and statues facing inwards towards some chains that were suspending whatever was inside the pool. It was beautiful like nothing I’ve ever seen.

“Get everything out of the bags.” I ordered Nick and Vail as Jennifer caught her breath. We threw our bags onto the ground and got everything out: flashlights, cameras, etc. Vail followed Jennifer down more steps closer to the tomb.

“I am in a large man-made cavern adjoining the antechamber. There are chiseled steps descending from the ledge. There is a canal at the center of them that feeds a ritual well at the base, filled with mercury. Beads of scarabs, scarab signet rings. This is a high priest of Ammon from the temple of Thebes. There is a ritual barrier chain that's around the well as a warning to intruders. To keep people out. There isn't a single provision made for someone's journey into the underworld. No Canopic jars, no Shabtis…” She trailed off as I was taking pictures of everything. She looked at me asking me what this was.

“To be buried in a place like this would have been a fate worse than death.” I told her.

“Nick! Don't even think about it.” She yelled at him for trying to steal something no doubt. I continued taking detailed pictures of just about everything I could.

“There are six watchers around the well facing inward instead of out. Whatever is in there, those chains aren't for bringing it up. They are for holding it down. This is not a tomb. It's a prison.” I told her slowly realizing we had gotten ourselves into more than we could possibly handle for the moment.

“Lima 2-6, come in.” I heard come through the radio breaking the silence that had fallen.

“Copy, sir.” Vail replied into the radio.

“Get out now. We've got reports of boogeys inbound. We gotta take off.” Greenway told us.

“Tell Greenway I need a DTRA.” Jennifer told him.

“For what?” He asked back, he was scared. It almost seemed the man had seen zero combat.

“I need specialists from Cairo…” She told him still holding her ground.

“Cairo?” He asked again.

“We’ll need seaborn suits and shielding cuffs…” I told him exactly what we would need to see what was in the pool without raising it.

“Elizabeth, we are out of time. You better grab what you can now!” He yelled at me.

“I'm not leaving until I see what's in that pool.” I yelled back at him.

“Oh you are leaving. We're leaving right now.” He yelled back not giving up.

“I have not come this far just to leave without…” I yelled at him. I heard a shot ring out and the chains started moving.

“NICK! WHAT DID YOU DO???” I yelled at my former lover. A sarcophagus rose out of the mercury pool. I held up my gun as I watched the mercury bead off and hit the pool. I was thrown out of my trance when these spiders started to come out of the crevices. Vail started shooting them almost immediately as they came close to him. I stepped on them getting them out of my range. 

“Cease fire! Vail!” I yelled at him.

“Cease fire! Cease fire!” Nick backed me up.

“They are just camel spiders! They're not even poisonous!” I yelled to him trying to put his mind at ease.

“Can we please leave?” He asked me the fight leaving him.

“Are you out of your mind, Vail?” Nick yelled.

“Please!” Vail yelled back at him.

“What is wrong with you?” Nick clabbered back.

“That thing bit my neck! It bit me!!” Vail yelled I walked over to the medical kit I packed grabbing some ointment and a bandage then to Vail.

“Better?” I asked him as I put the ointment on his neck and the bandage on tight.

“Yeah, thank you. Enough of this! I don't care! I'm leaving! With or without you! I'm leaving!” Vail yelled at Nick and Jennifer. I left his side and walked over in front of Nick. He was in a trance, seemingly not hearing any of the chaos that was going down. 

“Nick! Nick!” I tried to get his attention.

“Tell Greenway he is gonna send a team to get this thing out of here. Or he is gonna have to explain why he left me behind. Do it!” I yelled at him before walking off and collecting my things. 

“Okay.” He whispered and I walked back near the sarcophagus taking photos as best I could with the spider surrounding me. This could have been a huge mistake but the damage was done and most likely we couldn't reverse what was going to happen.


	4. Crash & Burn

I heard the helicopter overhead everyone else had left the hole but I wanted to make sure we could get this thing rigged up without any catastrophes happening. Once I hooked it in I put my harness back on and radioed into the helicopter.

“Ready when you are boys.” I told them and jumped up onto the sarcophagus holding the rope for dear life as they started to lift me up. It was a quicker ride then me climbing up by myself. I jumped off the sarcophagus as we reached the top of the hole. Nick was on me immediately unstrapping me from my gear, he threw it into the bag I had brought with me. I was baffled, he looked into my eyes as he grabbed my hand literally dragging me from the site as he threw my bags on his shoulder.

“We gotta go. Colonel is yelling orders we have to get out of here before the air strike hits.” He explained as we loaded up onto another helicopter. I sat down between Nick and Chris as we took off. I gazed out of the window Nick’s gaze followed mine watching the sarcophagus being towed by the other helicopter. As I watched the sandstorm and convoy on the ground. Vail groaned from beside me.

“We’re almost there Vail. Hang in there.” I told the guy beside me not to worry too much. He gave me a look and smiled. The ride wasn’t long maybe about 15 minutes to get the hell out of there and to the airfield for immediate evacuation.

“So who is it? Did you get a look?” Nick asked me as we jumped out of our ride.

“Why would I tell you that, Nicholas. So you can steal it?” I asked him giving him a half-hearted glare and walking towards Jennifer.

“Hey! Hey! Wait.. wait.. please be careful. This is 5,000 years old.” I heard Halsey say as she ran up to the men unclipping the harness and loading it onto the C130 that would take us out of here.

“60 seconds! In the air! Let's go!” Colonel barked orders at the uniformed men.

“Careful, careful!” I yelled at the men too as I followed behind them not crossing the threshold of the plane.

“O’Connell, it seems you’re needed with the-- mummy.” Colonel told me quickly before he shoved me onto the plane, Nick following with Vail in tow behind him. Halsey was making sure the mummy was clipped in sufficiently as I sat down next to Nick.

“Get us off the ground now! Halsey, take a seat!” Colonel yelled over the wind brewing the sandstorm that was almost on top of us. Sandstorms around here were not unheard of but the timing of it seemed off to me. The plane immediately started rumbling as the gear tracked over the ground probably reaching up to 80kts before takeoff. And suddenly, the ground wasn’t beneath us anymore. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was fine, we were going to get out of here and to the safe comfort of a museum to unload this lovely masterpiece. As we got ourselves settled I wanted to get my laptop and books out to conduct some research before I took a closer look at the sarcophagus. Halsey had fallen asleep fairly quickly probably tired from her one night stand with Nick. I rolled my eyes as I got up from my seat and started to get my bag from the overhead where Nick had thrown it.

“Need some help?” He asked me quietly.

“No.” I answered quickly as I stood on the seat to reach my bag. I could feel his eyes raking down my body as my shirt rode up my torso a bit.

“Nick. Stop, your girlfriend is sitting right across from us, sleeping.” I berated him.

“What?? No she’s not-- I’m not-- No.” He stumbled over his words as he tried to get them out. I laughed quietly as I retrieved the Menehptre book, my computer, camera and cord from my bag.

“Sure...” I said to him as I jumped off the seat to sit back down next to him.

“You’re welcome by the way...” He started. I rolled my eyes opening my computer and signing in while I hooked one end of the cord to the computer and the other to my camera. I opened a word document and the pictures I had taken at the tomb.

“Why?” I asked him.

“Because I saved your-- whatever it is.” He started. Oh Nick so intelligent, he knew exactly what it was. He just wanted to bother me.

“Nick. You didn’t save it, don’t even pretend you did. That was safely hidden for 5,000 years before you dropped a hellfire missile on it.” I pointed to the sarcophagus.

“And you might have never found it otherwise. Again… You’re welcome.” He told me. I took my eyes off my computer to look at him fully. There was a hint of sarcasm in his eyes that I could tell he was just trying to get a rise out of me but he was being very cocky about it. I wanted to bring him down a peg. 

“Do you have any idea what this is? The significance of it? An Egyptian sarcophagus in a tomb in Mesopotamia?” I asked him. He looked like he was lost. The look in his eye and the words he said to me next confirmed it. 

“Why didn’t we stay together Elizabeth?” He asked me catching me off guard.

“It would’ve never worked out between us.” I said to him keeping it short.

“I was going to propose.” He told me, I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Sure he was. No way in hell that he would've proposed to me. I got butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. But I shoved my feelings down.

“Oh yes, Nick Morton finally able to keep it in his pants? That’ll be the day.” I told him. He looked at me taken aback by my words, like he didn’t know why I left.

“You never gave me a reason why you left.” He told me. Oh yes here it was he wanted closure.

“Well Nick, I didn’t think I needed one after the 3rd time you cheated on me. I figured you knew exactly what you were doing and why. You didn’t want me, I knew it and so did you. If you loved me you never would have done the things you did. You didn’t have to hurt me so much you know? Don’t you ever think of anyone but yourself?” I cleared my throat as I got up from my seat and moved over to the sarcophagus. I let the words sink in then started talking again.

“This find. It means something to me. Something bigger than you can imagine, it’s my life’s pursuit. And you were going to steal it. How much do you think that’s worth on the black market?” I asked him. The emotions from when I left now fresh in my head. He failed to have an answer. I sighed and started to look at the hieroglyphics on the sarcophagus. I took out my phone and started to record.

“This is Dr. Elizabeth O’Connell, conducting a preliminary analysis of an Egyptian sarcophagus discovered in Nineveh province in Northern Iraq. The hieroglyphs are… New Kingdom. It appears that the wife of Menehptre died in childbirth leaving a sole heir to the throne, a girl, called Ahamanet. This is odd since I’ve read about Menehptre--” I walked back over to the book on him flipping to the index.

“There’s no mention of Ahamanet anywhere within the book itself. She was erased from history and the Egyptians made sure it remained that way. That must be why she was buried so far away from Egypt… No one was supposed to find her.” I finished my recording stowing my phone into my pocket I looked at the sarcophagus an odd feeling taking over me. I shuddered as I sat back down plopping the computer on my lap and flipping through my book trying to find any mention of a daughter. Excitement and nerves flowed through my body as I typed down exactly everything that had happened today. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to Nick elbowing and shoving me to wake up. I opened my eyes and saw Vail standing over the sarcophagus with a knife trying to cut the rope off the sarcophagus. He was very white, his complexion, almost completely gone.

“Nick. There’s something wrong.” I told him slowly as Vail was being questioned by Greenway.

“Corporal Vail, do you hear me talking to you? I said, what are you..” Almost as if by an outside force Vail shoved the knife he had into Greenway’s chest. Chris Vail looked at Nick.

“Vail, just...” Nick uttered out trying to get him to stop, but he didn't, he once again stabbed the knife into the Colonel.

“Oh my god.” I reached for my gun at my side taking it out and pointing it at Vail. He turned back towards us. His right eye had clouded over like a dog with cataracts.

“O’Connell.” I heard Nick say my name slowly and calculated. He didn’t want me to shoot his friend and I completely understood but this was not the time, something was taking over Vail’s body.

“Vail! Woaw.. Woaw! Vail!” Nick yelled waking up Halsey. She took one look at the situation and barreled off the seat she was in. She stood between Vail and the soldiers who had also jumped up.

“Oh my God. Vail!” She yelled seeing the Colonel on the ground, she looked at me confused at the chaos that had exploded out of nowhere. Nick pushed me behind him continuously yelling at Vail to stop.

“Drop the weapon! Drop it now! NOW!!” The soldiers said behind me. Threatening to shoot him I was right there with them, shoot him and put him out of this… Whatever this was. Everyone was yelling at each other as they took their eyes off the problem at hand. Nick stole a gun from a soldier and pointed it at them.

“Woaw! Nick stop it. They’re trying to contain the situation.” I told him as I holstered my gun back to my side. He got closer to me, I made a move to grab the gun and disarm it so no more damage would be done. He figured it out and avoided me completely. 

“Stop! Do not shoot! This is a pressurized aircraft!” Halsey yelled at us as if we were too dense to realize a hole in this cabin would lead to rapid depressurization.

“Nick.” I breathed out trying to get a hold of him. He turned around and started backing us up until we hit the back door to the aircraft.

“Vail. Vail, put the knife down. Vail.” He tried to get in touch with his best friend again. Vail started to advance towards me knife in hand. Nick pushed me back just in time right before he shot his friend in the chest. Chris looked at where he shot him and continued forwards slashing at Nick. I grabbed Nick’s arm and pulled him back with me. He shot again and this time, Chris fell with one last gasp out of his mouth. A third shot rang out and Nick handed the gun back to the man he stole it from with a simple ‘Sorry’. I heard a loud thud outside the window and we tilted to the right. I rushed to go see what was going on in the cockpit I had a bit of training on a C130 but definitely not enough to pilot one.

“What’s going on?” I asked. Nick joined me I could feel him behind me.

“Pan-pan-pan. This is November 4-0-9-9. United States C-130 Hercules.” My blood ran cold hearing the words come out of their mouths. Oh god it was an emergency. What else could possibly go wrong? I spun around to be chest to chest with Nick.

“What's happening?” I heard Halsey ask behind Nick.

“Take your seat and strap in.” One of the pilots said to us.

“Ma’am, now I don't know what's happening. Take your seat!” The pilot yelled at us. 

“We lost thrust in both engines. No radar contact. Dropping to 12,000, 280 on the heading.” I heard one say. Nick turned me around to face the sky. A black crow hit the windshield blood splattering on the right side and a crack emitted the vision of the copilot. 

“What the hell is that?” Nick asked. As I noticed a flock of birds soaring towards us. It was impossible. No way in hell that was possible.

“Their birds!! Go! Go! Go!” I yelled at them and pushed them out of the cockpit. What the hell was happening? I realized there was only one explanation as I was thrown up against the top of the aircraft and down the G forces were extreme being airborne and barreling towards the ground was insanity. We had 0 gravity and Nick made his way towards me as Halsey had everything supposedly together. He wrapped his arm around my waist as we were pummelled into the ground again.

“I’m sorry, you’re right, I was unfair to you in our relationship.” He told me as we were thrown against the top and sides of the airplane again and again.

“Nick! I don’t think now is the best time.” I told him as we flew to the other side of the plane. The wind rushing out of my lungs as I hit the cabins sides.

“Parachute! Parachute!” Nick yelled to me. As he maneuvered us over to grab one. He wrapped one around me and clipped it into place. There was another one behind him I moved to grab it and wrap it around him but he stopped me and threw it to Halsey.

“I-- I don’t know how to do this!” She yelled out.

“Jenny, you can do this!” I told her as Nick looked me in the eyes. The door flew off the side distracting both of us. Still holding me he reached over to her and grabbed the release of her chute. She flew out of the opening and into the air.

“Elizabeth!! I love you, I never stopped.” Nick yelled over the wind and the engines. He pulled me to him and kissed me hard and before I could say anything my chute had been pulled and I was outside the aircraft being pulled away from the crash.


	5. Reunion

It didn’t take long for search and rescue to come find me. I was just unclipping from my parachute when I heard the helicopter blades overhead. They had repelled down to come get me, I was not happy with how I would have to get on another aircraft again. Slowly and surely I made it back to civilization. Everything was a blur, but at the same time it was like I was moving in slow motion. I made my way to the hotel, realizing that I had lost everything. All of my notes, camera, computer, sarcophagus. The Marine Corp had paid to put me up in this hotel, it was very nice. Lavish, something Nick would have enjoyed. No. I couldn’t think about that now, I needed to throw myself into work. I moved away from the door to my hotel room and quickly walked down the hallway. I wanted to get to the British Museum of Antiquities. I walked outside noticing the cloudy skies and rain threatening to pour down on me. I talked to a guy outside where I got a taxi to take me to the museum. The ride wasn’t long I paid for the taxi with my military issued credit card they gave me for emergencies. I got out and stared at the structure as the cabbie thanked me and drove off. The architecture itself was breathtaking, the columns that lined the outside reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial.

“I figured I’d find you here.” I heard the familiar female voice behind me.

“Jenny!” I spun around and saw the girl who looked broken beyond all belief. I hugged her quickly then let go and composed myself.

“Seems you had the same idea I had.” She told me.

“Yes, I wanted to see if I could find anything on Menehptre.” I said to her, she nodded slowly and linked our arms pulling me into the museum. The museum had been rebuilt from the horrors of the last mummy encounter. The inside was modern and security was tight much like any airport security checkpoint. We went through relatively quickly, seeing as it was a weekday, no one was really here. I picked up a map at the otherside while Jennifer was being checked. The Egyptian wing was in room 4 on the left side about 3 lengths of space to cover. The research room on the first level would be where we would be going next.

“Alright. Where to?” Jennifer asked.

“Ancient Egypt.” I replied as I started leading us towards the Ancient Egypt room. Stopping, I looked at the map again seeing there was more to discover on the upper levels although it was early Egypt there were mummies we could examine.

“Elizabeth?” I heard bringing me to a halt.

“Grandpa?” I spun around seeing the man in a wheelchair being pushed by his wife, Victoria. Her hair had lost it's blonde color and turned white though she still had the spring in her step. My grandfather worse off unable to walk by himself his wife doted on him the best she could. 

“Sweetheart, if I knew you were coming I would have met you when you first came in.” My Grandma told me.

“I’m sorry it was kind of a spur of the moment decision I had no idea you guys would be here!” I exclaimed running up to hug both of them lightly. I could've known Alex had become the curator very soon after his mother had passed. 

“My my she looks just like you did at that age.” Grandpa uttered out.

“Any new adventures?” They asked me. My grandparents would be of the utmost help for this specific piece of information.

“Yes, actually. Oh my gosh I’m so rude. Grandma, Grandpa, this is my colleague Dr. Jennifer Halsey. We were actually coming to see if we could find information on this dig we just came from.” I told them as Jennifer walked up beside me to shake both of their hands. 

“It’s very nice to meet you Dr. Halsey.” Alex started.

“What’s this dig?” Victoria asked.

“Well actually we’ve come from Iraq. Get this, we found an Egyptian sarcophagus the name on the inscription said Ahmanet, daughter of Menehptre.” I told them, the spark in their eyes as they processed the information had me smiling.

“An Egyptian tomb in Iraq?” Alex asked us.

“It’s New Kingdom as well.” I told them.

“Well nothing in 4 will help you there, that’s mostly statues. You may have better luck upstairs with the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties.” Victoria said to us continually thinking.

“Ahmanet? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of her though and we run the museum. You might have to pull from the research room. Here we’ll walk you up.” Alex told us, patting his wife’s hand to let her know he was ready to move. Grandma Tori pushed Alex to the elevators as I pushed the up button and Grandma Tori sighed.

“Ah I miss the adventure, any news on that boyfriend of yours? What was his name? Alex, do you remember?” Grandma pushed for information. As the elevator dinged we walked on. I stayed silent not really wanting to talk about it.

“Nick. I think it was?” Alex started pushing his glasses up his nose as Victoria pushed the 1st floor button.

“Ah yes, that was it. I was for sure you two would end up together at one point. But I haven't heard any news of a wedding from your father.” Victoria thought out loud. I cleared my throat unhappy to have to talk about Nick.

“Actually, it’s probably not the best topic right now. I have to go identify the bodies later...” I said to them cutting myself off before I said too much.

“Oh dear, you were in that plane crash? It’s all over the news. Gosh, I hope they’re all okay.” Grandma said to me. I pushed my hair out of my face before continuing.

“Yes. So do I...” I trailed off knowing no one survived that plane crash except for Jenn and I. The elevator dinged again letting us know we had arrived on our floor. They went out and to the right and we followed. They opened the doors to the research room and I noticed a woman I had recognized in pictures along with the man leaning over a book. They looked to me and gasped.

“Oh my god. Elizabeth! What’re you doing here?!” Josephine ran up to me engulfing me in a hug. Rick right by her side.

“Josephine! Let the girl breathe.” Rick told her as his wife stepped aside. He immediately engulfed me in another hug.

“Great to see ya kid. What in the hell are you doing here?” He stepped away from me.

“Well I was on a dig down in Iraq. I found this sarcophagus. The inscription read Ahmanet, daughter of Menehptre. I was curious if all of you might have heard of it.” I asked them.

“That would have been Evelyn’s area of expertise. God rest her soul.” Josephine told me. I shifted on my feet, uncomfortable.

“Grandma, why didn’t you tell me that mom was here.” I asked them covering for their agelessness. Not wanting Jennifer to catch on to my great grandparents.

“Well we wanted it to be a surprise. This is Dr. Halsey one of Elizabeth’s associates.” Victoria told her parents.

“Ah yes. I’ve heard many things about you.” Josephine told her daughter crossing her arms as Rick put his arm around his wife.

“All good things, I hope.” Jennifer said to her.

“Of course, now Elizabeth what was it you were looking for perhaps even with Evelyn being gone I could help you.” She told me.

“Well, we wanted to see if there was anything in the scrolls that had any mention of Menehptre having a daughter.” I told her. Josephine sighed and turned around looking at the archives.

“I may have one for you it mentioned a sole heir to the throne but after that nothing about the heir was ever written.” She said as she walked down the many rows of books her golden hair bouncing in the ponytail she had it in. She pulled down a copy of Menehptre Life and Death. She walked us down another row and pulled Set God of Chaos down. She walked us back to the table they were working off of before we had interrupted them. Setting the books down she pushed them to me.

“There’s very little mention of a daughter, but the only ones I’ve found were these.” She told me. I opened the books, seeing that Set made a deal with an Egyptian royal, promising she would be the only heir to the throne and the world would be hers if she sacrificed a mortal for Set to embody. I showed Jennifer the page and she nodded slowly, she looked like she knew the information already but wanted me to catch on myself. I took the other book and the only words I found were these: ‘They were murdered in their sleep by a revengeful soul, a girl, not their own.’ I sighed this was all I needed to know she was almost completely erased from history. The only way I would know exactly what happened was to go to Jennifers company and extract the information I needed. 

“Supposedly, before the ritual could be complete she was mummified alive and buried far from Egypt.” Josephine told us her eyes glinted with longing. My phone started to ring, the shrill ringtone echoing off the walls of the archive room.

“Excuse me.” I said to them and walked away as Jennifer examined the words on the page.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Dr. O’Connell, we’re ready for you to identify the bodies.” I nodded and sighed rubbing my forehead.

“We’ll be there in about about an hour.” I told the people on the other end of the line.

“Thank you guys, but I’m afraid we’re needed elsewhere to identify the bodies of the plane crash.” I told my family. Josephine and Victoria nodded slowly as Alex and Rick looked at us sadly.

“It was great to see you Elizabeth. Please call more often.” Josephine told me. I smiled at her as Rick nodded in agreement. 

"Let us know if you need anything else." Victoria told me winking at Jennifer and I as walked out of the room and to the streets of London getting a cab to take us to the morgue.

“Dr. O’Connell. Miss O’Connell, do you think you’re up to it?” I heard the woman’s heels click on the floor as she walked up to me. I was sitting on a bench with Jennifer outside.

“I'm sorry. What?” I asked her my mind flowing between Ancient Egypt, my family and Nick.

“We need your help identifying the bodies. Come on this way, please.” She told me and we walked down the hallway through some glass doors.

“Oh my God! Nick.” I breathed out seeing him alive was one hell of a miracle.

“Elizabeth.” He uttered out about to come up and hug me but soon realized he was naked. He quickly covered up and moved away from us.

“What's happening? Where am I? Who's in charge here?” He yelled at us and the man next to me raised his hand as the other doctor looked away clearly embarrassed they had thrown a live man into a body bag and toe tag.


	6. Blind Hope

I quickly found Nick some clothes that he needed and rushed back to the morgue. There wasn't anything I could explain to him being alive all I knew was that I was incredibly happy he hadn't died on that plane. I threw the clothes at him and he put them on almost falling down when he put his pants on. The bodies that were there, were those of soldiers, Greenway, and the pilots. I quickly signed the forms outside the morgue so we could get out of there as quickly as possible. I texted Josephine letting her know we would be going to a bar and to come as soon as she could we may need some help from Rick and her after all.

"Got it, we'll be there soon as we can." She texted back almost immediately. I quickly got a cab for Jenny, Nick and I and we left. The only reason we were going to this shoddy bar was because Nick had requested it, it wasn't my scene but surely I did need a drink. We arrived outside meeting up with Josephine and Rick. 

"Nick!" Rick exclaimed as he saw us get out of the cab. Nick and Rick had a weird bond, I didn't like to dwell on it. 

"Rick. How great to see you! God you haven't aged a day!" Nick replied happily shaking my Great Grandfather's hand. He eyed my Great Grandmother up and down. I shuddered watching as his interest peaked. 

"Josephine! You're looking stunning as ever." Nick continued talking going to hug her she dodged him skillfully and curled into the arm of her husband. I could tell she wanted to get the knife out of her boot and teach him a lesson, but she had decided against the potential police encounter that would occur. 

"Well now that we've got settled, how about we go inside?" I asked them. Everyone nodded I could tell they wanted to get out of this weather as soon as possible, it looked atrocious just waiting to rain down on us. 

"A US military plane crash landed in Surrey this evening just missing Waverley Abbey." The TV rang out as we took our seat at a table. I ordered some shots to get the conversation flowing smoothly. Nick downed about 5 before we started to talk to him. 

"How did you get out of that plane? There's not a single scratch on your body." Jenny started the conversation. 

"Yeah." Nick replied downing another. Rick looked at him with eyes that could kill.

"Thank you." I said.

"For what?" He asked me. 

"You saved my life." I replied to him wondering if he'd forgotten those 3 words he said to me before he pulled my chute. 

"You would have done the same for me." He said as he downed another shot. I nodded slowly, remembering I would have sacrificed Jenny to save him. 

"Listen, Nick. I think you should know something. You know I work with a group of archaeologists." Jenny started talking again, annoyed I rolled my eyes and downed one of Nick's shots he looked at me like I had just shot his puppy. I shrugged at him. 

"Keep going..." Josephine urged the woman opposite her to continue talking as she sipped on her beer. 

"Well we developed this theory that an Egyptian princess had been erased from the history books deliberately. We've been searching for something called "The Dagger of Set"." Jenny continued. 

"A ceremonial knife with a large jewel at the hilt. Set is the Egyptian God of death. And legend has it that the dagger and the stone, together had the power to give Set physical form. I'm convinced it was hidden here, in Europe. Stolen by crusaders centuries ago. It would make sense with the recent find underneath the new crossrail right before we found the tomb in Iraq." I told the group. 

"You know I actually found a reference to it in a manuscript written by a crusader knight that suggested the dagger was broken apart. That the stone buried with this knight somewhere here in England." Josephine continued for me. I rose my eyebrows at that information. Of course. It all made so much sense now. 

"A massive crusader tomb, was recently discovered under London. We believe that the stone is in there somewhere." Rick said to us picking up on the conversation. 

"That's what we were looking for before you showed up with the princess in the legend." Josephine told me. 

"The hieroglyphics said that she murdered her father." I told Nick getting him up to speed on the recent stuff we had figured out. 

"Murdered?" He asked.

"Along with his child and wife. She made some sort of pact with the God of death. And then, when I saw those birds and that sandstorm. Whatever, I mean something is happening. You are alive I do not know how." I told him baffled at the discovery Josephine was near. 

"I'm sorry, Nick. I think we angered the Gods." I heard Jenny say next to me I rolled my eyes and looked at her.

"Can you excuse me? I'll be right back." I nodded as he got up from the table. 

"Really?? That's what you go with? We've angered the Gods?" I asked her annoyed watching as Nick left for the bathroom. 

"Yes, that's what I'm going with. Excuse me." Jenny got up and left the table as well. 

"You know, Nick reminds me a bit of Jonathan." Josephine said a glint in her eye as she sipped her beer. I laughed out loud. 

"Oh my god, there's no way, not you too." I told her she laughed. 

"He's like a hybrid of Jon and Rick." She replied to me. 

"Not a bad combination." Rick said to me smirking. 

"You're like my parents." I rolled my eyes running my hands through my hair. As they laughed. 

"How did you do it?" I asked them.

"You have my journal. Use it." Josephine told me not giving much to go off of here. 

"I know, I know." I said to her.

"That boy still likes you Liz, I see the way he stares at you, he wants you to be happy." Rick jumped in.

"Not what he wanted when he was going to raid my find." I said to him. 

"Well..." Rick cocked his head to the right looking at Josephine. 

"You do crazy things when you're in love." She finished and kissed her husband. They smiled at each other. 

"How about this, we'll look for the dagger of Set and you three find that mummy. You need your own name on the discovery and we don't need any more publicity. We've had enough of that for our lifetime." Josephine proposed. I smiled slowly as they put $100 down on the table to pay for everything. They both got up from their seats and I got up with them hugging them as I walked them outside. I noticed Nick in the middle of the street. 

"Nick! What the hell are you doing?" I yelled at him to get him to look at me. He grabbed me as I ran up to him. 

"I think Jenn was right. We angered the Gods." He said slowly. 

"Wait.. what?" I asked him wrapping my head around the conversation he was trying to have with me. 

"I saw her the chick in the box." He started wrapping his arms around me in a hug. 

"Ahmanet?" I asked making sure to confirm this was who he was talking about. 

"That one." He whispered out as he steered me away from the bar. 

"Nick..." I trailed off. Attempting to ask him what was going on between us. 

"He said I'm cursed." He started to talk again. 

"Who said?" I asked him raising an eyebrow in confusion. 

"Vail." He answered me his eyes wild. 

"Vail?" I asked him, oh good he was seeing dead people. 

"NICK!! I'm trying to tell you something here!" I yelled at him. He stopped and grabbed both my shoulders pulling me in front of him. 

"What?!" He asked me getting annoyed I wasn't letting him finish. 

"I love you too." I blurted out, he stared at me. I spun around getting out of his grasp. 

"What?" He asked me as he grabbed my hand. 

"I knew it wasn't a good time to say anything." I turned back towards him. He quickly closed the space between us.

"Elizabeth..." he brushed my hair behind my ear. I looked down at the ground. 

"I- I'm" I was about to apologize before his lips connected with mine. His tongue danced across my bottom lip asking to enter my mouth. I opened and we connected like we had before many years ago. We stood there exploring each other's mouths before we heard a polite chuckle behind us. He pulled away from me slowly resting his forehead against mine. 

"I knew it." He smiled at me.

"Is this real? Or are you just making a point?" I asked him. He leaned forwards and kissed me again. 

"It's real." He said pulling away again. 

"The coffin we found." He started back on his rant. 

"Sarcophagus." I told him. 

"Whatever." He replied getting annoyed again. 

"There was writing on it." He continued. 

"Hieroglyphics." I corrected him once more. 

"Elizabeth, respectfully, I'm not interested in archeological jargon right now. The writing on the box that we took out of the hole." He said to me. 

"Yes, sorry." I said my face flushing with color. 

"There was something about a curse in there, was it there? Was it there?" He asked me grabbing my shoulders. 

"Nick, you've been drinking. There had to be a perfectly logical explanation." I said brushing him off of me. 

"Yes. Toxic exposure. Or something?" He started to agree."  
"That's the only reason you'd be acting this way." I said knowing full well it could be a curse but I didn't want to upset him. 

"How does that explain that I know that "Setapai" means: "My Chosen"." He asked me. 

"It's Ancient Egyptian." Jennifer pipped off from behind us. 

"Ancient Egyptian. How do I know that?" He asked her spinning to face her. 

"You've been in the middle east for years." She started to explain it to him. 

"What? No!" He exclaimed. 

"You heard it.. You must've forgot it.." I tried to ease his worry. 

"Why are you backing off from this? I'm telling you. She is real." He spun back to me. 

"Nick. Nick.. What is it?" Jennifer asked him. 

"I think you're right. This is all in my head. Can't you find the box, look inside and when I see a 3,000 year old prune in there..." he trailed off letting us know his concerns.

"Nick." I tried again. 

"..no more curse." He was still on his tangent. 

"You don't need a sarcophagus, you need a doctor. I know someone. A specialist in London." Jennifer tried to tell him. 

"Don't tell me that you don't want to see it too. Your life's work, come on Elizabeth. I think I know where it is." He told me I sighed. He wasn't wrong I did want to see it too. He started to walk off in a direction that I wasn't sure about but I followed anyway.

"Elizabeth!!!" Jennifer yelled after me I turned around continuing to walk backwards.

"C'mon Jenn, you know you wanna see it!" I shrugged and turned back around following Nick to wherever he was going, Blindly hoping he knew where he was going.


	7. The Abbey

We had a car take us near the Abbey near where the plane went down. Nick started walking off in the opposite direction of where the crash occurred. He walked towards the building, the farm animals cooing behind us. He hopped between the ropes that guarded off the building. I followed him as Jennifer followed me. I slowly moved trying to keep as quiet as I possibly could the leaves crunching beneath my boots. 

“Nick. Nick! Where are you going? The crash isn't up that way. Where are you going?” Jennifer asked him after I had remained silent just following slowly listening to the crickets surrounding us. My eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness surrounding me.

“No. We’re in the right place.” He told her as we neared the dilapidated building that looked straight out of a horror film. 

“Nick. Nick! I do not know what we're doing here. This isn't the right place.” Jennifer kept badgering.

“Jennifer. Stop just follow, relax, what’re you scared of the dark? If it bothers you just leave.” I whispered at her. She sighed crossing her arms as she continued following me. 

“The main crash site it's up that way and so is my artifact. And that's where we are going.” She said to me. I sighed as she started to walk off. I continued forward with Nick into the church. I looked around seeing the bricks exposed like this gave me a weird feeling. Like the building had been bombed in a previous lifetime. I wrapped my arms around myself seeing the crows flying around. Nick walked down some stairs looking around.

“Jenny?” Nick asked looking straight at me. I rolled my eyes.

“Nick, she left, she went outside.” I told him as he stumbled up back up the stairs to where I was.

“Nick? Elizabeth?” Jenny yelled to us. I quickly moved towards the shadows just watching as Nick wandered off. I knew something wasn’t exactly right here, however, would be no point in getting kidnapped with him by an undead mummy. I followed behind him sliding between pillars, the shadows concealing me perfectly. The mummified search and rescue officers jumped Nick and moved him to an alter. Ahmanet jumped on top of him, she seemed very alive!! I knew it! Her enslaved circled Nick as I looked around trying to figure out a plan to get him out of this weird situation. She opened his mouth with her fingers gazing at his perfect teeth. She quite forcefully ripped his shirt up to reveal his stomach.

“Ok. Ok.” Nick spoke and laughed as she started to graze his stomach with her long undead fingernails.

“GOD OF DEATH” I heard as she smashed the head of the angel sitting next to the altar and grabbed out the dagger. Though it was missing it’s jewel. I smiled as I stood behind the pillar poking my head out to watch her.

“POWERFUL SETH I WELCOME YOU INTO THIS MORTAL BODY. UNITE TO ME FINALLY.” I cringed at that and decided now was the time to make myself known. I pulled my gun out from my side and made myself known. I kicked a rock sending it into the altar.

“Hey! You creepy bitch. No one gets to do that, except me!” I yelled at her. She looked at me and screamed. Her other friends heads all turned towards me.

“Elizabeth!!! RUN!” Nick yelled at me. I started taking shots at about five different sucked dry humans. Jenn showed up behind me at some point but took off running the second she saw what was going down. Ahmanet ran towards me and I spun around and started to run after Jenn. Nick could handle the others himself, I did some damage but not nearly enough to save him. He had the experience he needed to get himself out of there. Ahmanet appeared in front of me grabbed me by the neck and pushed me into a pillar. I struggled to breath as she gripped me tighter. I quickly headbutted her trying to get her to loosen her grip on my neck. She screamed in my face then threw me off to the side into some pews. I got up quickly. But she was too fast for me. She grabbed my neck again. Just about to suck me dry and use my flesh and organs to regenerate. Nick came up behind her and stabbed her with the Dagger of Set. She let go of me and I grabbed the dagger out of her and stabbed her again. Nick grabbed my hand as I retrieved the dagger from her body and we started running out of the Abbey.

“Nick! Elizabeth!” I heard Jennifer running up to us.

“Were you just gonna leave me?!!” She yelled as Nick pulled me into the ambulance.

“You saw that, right?” He asked as he hastily started the ambulance threw it into drive and punched the gas to get us away from the scene.

“You were gonna leave me!” Jenny screamed at us.

“You saw it, right?” Nick asked her still in shock.

“I can't unsee it!” She yelled to him.

“Where are we going?” I asked Nick as I rubbed my neck coughing to get my airway to clear.

“Away from here. There's a highway up ahead.” He explained.

“How do you know?” Jenn asked him.

“I know.” He told her vindictively. I noticed the road changing back to where we were before.

“Oh my God. Do you realize what this is?” I asked him as I noticed what was in my hands.

“It's the dagger of Set. She was gonna drive that thing right through me.” Nick told me like I didn’t know. I literally saw the entire thing go down, the. entire. fucking. weird. experience.

“The stone, it is missing.” I said confirming my thoughts earlier.

“Yeah, it seems to have really pissed her off.” He told me.

“It's real.” Jenny breathed out.

“How was it in that statue?” Nick asked me.

“That statue was a reliquary. Crusaders have been using them to hide holy relics for centuries.” I explained to him.

“But she knew it was there.” I told him my brain rapidly theorizing.

“You are saying that she brought the plane down there? On purpose?” Nick asked me as he drove skidding everywhere.

"Nick! Keep your eyes on the fucking road! Pay attention!" I yelled to him. 

“That's why she wanted you to come to the church.” Jennifer piped in.

“She wanted me to go to the church? I told you that I wanted to go to church. I told you.. I said.. That I wanted to see... I wanted to see her corpse.” He said suddenly realizing where my brain was at.

“Nick, she’s in your head.” I told him hoping he would believe me he knew my family’s history he should know this all, crazy as it was. It was real.

“What are you talking about?” I dropped my head as he denied the obvious.

“That.. That is ridiculous. Because I… I drove right back to her. Oh my God she is in my head.” He said as he realized we were right in front of the Abbey again. Ahmanet walked towards us her slaves running in front of her after us.

“Go go go go go!” I yelled at him as she advanced towards us. Nick threw us into reverse and quickly backed us the hell out of there. The wooded trees and non-paved roads starting to make me nauseous. I heard the scratching of metal on Nick’s side and pulled my gun quickly shooting at the skull that poked its way through the window.

“Fuck. A little warning next time!” Nick yelled to me as he rubbed his ear.

“You’re such a baby!” I yelled back as he swerved opening the door to get the mummy who was hanging off the ambulance. He crashed it into the tree the door flying off with it. Another mummy threw himself on the top of the roof I quickly aimed at where I heard it coming from shooting and hoping to God that it would get off. It flew through the windshield grabbing my arms. I yelled at it. However, it proved to do nothing.

“Get it off of me!” I yelled as I grabbed the dagger beneath me and thrust it into it’s hollow skull. Nick reached over and took hold of it’s arm throwing it towards the open door. I held onto the dagger as Nick drove.

“Son of a bitch!” He yelled as they continued to assault the car. The mummy grabbed the wheel and swearved us off the unpaved road and into a ditch. I felt my head hit the dashboard again and again as we rolled down the hill. Finally, we stopped. I quickly dabbed at my forehead wincing as I felt the cut forming. I pulled my fingers away and looked at the blood that was there. I wiped it on my jeans and looked to my right seeing Nick wasn’t there.

“Nick!” I yelled making sure he was still alive.

“Elizabeth?!” He yelled back I looked out the now crushed window to see him behind us.

“Jenny? You okay?” I asked as I noticed she hadn’t said anything. Her hand hit my shoulder.

“Nick!” I yelled again. I struggled with my seatbelt in the upside down car. Finally I got it unhooked and fell down onto the roof. Nick ran up to us and looked straight at me. As I was about to go after him. Jennifer held me into place as we watched the scene before us unfold. Nick stood up straight as Ahmanet walked slowly towards him. Nick walked towards her as she stopped. He grabbed a tree branch that had broken off.

“Get her, Nick!” I yelled at him as he stalked towards the mummy.

“Get her! Get her! Kick her ass!” Jenn yelled from behind me I smirked as she cursed. That was a rare occasion. Nick went to hit her with the branch. Her arm broke it and she threw him up into the trees as I looked up to see where he went she walked towards our overturned car. I jumped back as I saw Nick fall right in front of me. I went to grab my gun on the floor next to me and Ahmanet grabbed my hand and behind my neck. Jennifer scrambled out of the car as I proceeded to try and fight her in my compromised position. She looked me in the eye and I saw pure evil. She screamed into my face her head dropping as she was suddenly pulled away from me. I scrambled up and to the edge of the car gun in hand as Jenny grabbed the dagger. I looked at Ahmanet an arrow had gone through her chest dragging her away, a group pulled up in wearing all black, they looked like contracted military. Nick scrambled up to the car and pulled me out, he wrapped his arms around me holding me to him. I could feel the warmth radiating off his body his warm breath made its way to my neck, I shivered as I heard Ahmanet scream. The men in black shot her with more arrows and darts hopefully containing a sedative.

“Who are you?” Nick asked as a man in black walked up to us. He shot me with a dart and I fell Nick's arms holding me up as I gazed into his eyes. 

“Elizabeth!! What the fuck did you do to her?!” I heard him yell before everything went black and his voice was silent.


	8. Back in Time

I opened my eyes slowly to see blurry figures dragging me through some corridors. I shook my head trying to clear the images I was seeing. However, my brain had other plans. My head lulled to the side as I succumbed once again to the darkness. 

I was on my way to uncorrupt a scene. I was new to the world of marine archeology, back then I was innocent, impressionable and naive. I smiled as opportunities presented themselves. This had followed me around since I had graduated college. I always loved a challenge, I remembered when my mother Charlotte, father Howard, Josephine, Victoria, Alex, Rick, Evelyn and Ardeth bursted with joy when I received my diploma: double doctorates in psychology and archeology. I pulled off my ray bans as I walked into the tent set up for the preservation of the artifacts we had found from the Nile river. I noticed a man I had yet to know, I walked up to him fully confident in myself that he did not belong here. As I approached I noticed his features he was quite handsome with his almost completely symmetrical face. His eyes glowed as he looked at the golden jewelry that lay on the table before him. 

“Excuse me? You are?” I asked him as I finagled my way between him and the table. My arms crossed as I studied him closely. Green eyes, dark brown hair tousled like he had just rolled out of bed, smirk on his face. 

“Nick Morton, pleasure to meet you miss?” He reached his hand out to shake mine.

“Dr. Elizabeth O’Connell.” I stated happily I had earned my title through a tremendous amount of hard work there was no way anyone would get away with just calling me ‘miss’. He nodded staring at me until another man came through the entrance to the tent quickly letting my hand go as if embarrassed he didn't let go in the first place. 

“Nick. Stop fucking around we have to leave. We’ll get in serious shit from the colonel if we’re caught in here.” The man said to Nick. He was about the same as Nick size-wise. The muscle tone on both their bodies had me thinking ‘soldier’ immediately. My mouth formed an ‘oh’. My instincts were telling me to leave the man be and get to work on the analysis of the objects. 

“Hi, I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” His friend turned to me. He had a scar on his nose most likely from a break. His eyes were brown. He had a beard that matched the dark color of his hair. I stood there not saying anything. 

“Chris meet Dr. O’Connell. Lead marine archeologist.” He didn’t even glance at his friend, he was too busy eye locked with me. I was the first to break the staring battle. As his friend reached out his hand.

“Chris Vail.” He told me, smiling slowly before letting my hand go. 

“Well I’d say it’s been a pleasure but-- seeing as you’re not even supposed to be here.” I trailed off as Chris grabbed Nicks arm leading him away from me and out of the tent, I stared after the strange two seeing Nick glance back at me put a smile on my face.

“ELIZABETH!” I heard the yell before I saw the man in question the door slamming behind him. Nick fucking Morton. I rolled my eyes as I silently packed my stuff into a suitcase. 

“I’m really not in the mood for a fight right now.” I told him calmly as he raced into our bedroom. I threw open the nightstand drawer gathering my books and papers before throwing them into the suitcase. 

“What’re you doing?” He asked me his voice above a whisper as I crossed the room to the closet avoiding my boyfriend. 

“I’m leaving Nick this clearly isn't working.” I told him as he stepped in front of me preventing me from grabbing my favorite jacket. 

“Why would you say that babe? We’re fine, I was out with Chris.” He started to explain himself as I tried to retrieve my jacket. His body stopping me every chance he got.

“I don’t care Nick, enough is enough. I’m done and you’re done I see it clearly as ever. Late nights out doing God knows what. I don’t care. I deserve better and I know it. I’m done.” I said as I looked into his eyes not feeling done at all when he stared right back at me, I could see the inner turmoil on his face as his head dropped to his chest. He stepped away from the closet allowing me to finally grab my jacket. I threw it into my suitcase zipping it up. I grabbed the handle pulling it from the bed as I started my walk across our apartment towards the door. Nick grabbed my arm preventing me from leaving. 

“Elizabeth, please...” I looked into his eyes. Tears threatening to fall from mine. 

“I can’t… I can’t do it anymore Nick. I’m sorry.” I told him as I opened the front door suitcase in tow as it closed suddenly behind me. 

BANG! I woke to a door being slammed behind me I looked around at my surroundings trying to figure out where I was. There were men at my sides, dragging me through what seemed like a lab. I noticed a rotting squid sitting in a jar and a hand from what seemed like… I couldn't even describe it as a zombie? All kinds of different organisms were around me. I noticed a skull with elongated canine teeth, no, no, no. I jumped into action flipping my body backwards against the people on my sides that were gripping my arms. Doing a back flip out of them. They were stunned as could be as I swiped one guy's legs out from underneath him, he fell to the ground, hard. The other man pulled out a taser trying to get me back into a compliant state. I quickly dodged around his back as he proceeded to taze the man behind me. I smirked as I kicked him in the back causing him to drop to the ground too, on top of the other man who I had just previously thrown to the ground. 

“STOP!” I heard a man yell as I picked up a glass jar containing a specimen about to smash it on the man who tried to taze me. I looked in front of me to see Nick being held and a gun pointed at me. I had considered throwing the jar at the guy and taking my chances but upon seeing Nick’s face I ended up setting it back on the table where the other ones were raising my hands up in surrender. The two men got back up and grabbed my arms and we proceeded forwards towards another door. The man who yelled at me put his finger on the reader and the door opened. I walked towards the room looking around in awe. It was like being in a medieval castle, all kinds of different weapons were in glass cases. 

“Stay.” The two said, as they took the straight jacket off of Nick. I scoffed and threw myself down onto a sofa. 

“What the fuck was that Liz?” Nick asked me. 

“Don’t blame me, you were up before me and you didn’t do anything!” I told him.

“Yeah because I was in a straight jacket… Are you okay?” He asked as he reached towards my face to see if I was hurt. 

“I’m okay.” I said to him hoping the words coming out of my mouth were true. I cringed as I heard a door open to my right expecting the worst I took a fighting stance at an older man probably in his 50s. 

“There’s no need for that-- Dr. O’Connell.” I heard the words slip out of his mouth as I stared at him mouth agape, there was no way he could possibly be alive. 

Authors Note:

Sorry I know it's short, I couldn't get to work on the story this weekend. Not enough time on my hands. However, expect a very long update when I can get the next chapter up! Again apologies.

Gallagher8


	9. Turmoil

I let my arms drop to my sides as I slowly acknowledged the man in front of us. I simply could not believe it. Jenny had told me the man was alive. He was a strange fellow-- the specimens in jars confirmed it, he was just a dissociative identity disorder, nothing I haven’t seen before. Just think of the guy in Split. No one around him seemed to understand classic cases such as this one, generally lived in seclusion, hidden away from society slowly trying to get a hold on their other personalities through psychiatrists. However, it seemed he was making due. He strode towards his desk opposite the couch that I had previously occupied.

“Make yourself comfortable?” He asked Nick and I. I looked towards Nick his expression complex. He did not know who the man standing in front of us was. He could be very dangerous which is why I had declined every job he had offered to me.

“Who the hell are you?” Nick asked uttering out the words knowing the man was not to be trusted.

“Who am I? The more relevant question, Mr. Morton is: Who exactly are you? In theory, I know all about you. Army reconnaissance, decorated soldier and page after page indicating a deep and troubling moral attitude. But you see, this file contains nothing of any real value to me. That's why I wanted to see you face to face. Along with the incredible badass Dr. Elizabeth O’Connell, graduated from the University of Cambridge with two doctorates in psychology and archeology. Esteemed military connections, decorated soldier as well. Highly intelligent and beautiful.” Dr. Jekell Hyde said to us. I rolled my eyes as he threw our files down onto the desk.

“Who are you?” Nick asked again perplexed. As Dr. Jekyll crossed the room to both of us getting into Nick’s personal bubble.

“I am a doctor.” He answered. I scoffed and crossed my arms. The epitome of doctor for him seemed almost completely unlikely. However, he did have his own accomplishments.

“Doctor.” Nick asked, looking at me with a question in his eyes.

“Dr. O’Connell does not share the same pedigree. We do not share the same ideals, it’s why she has been turning down my job offers since she graduated. Turning down the thousands of dollars I would’ve thrown at her.” Jekyll smiled as Nick looked at me and I just shrugged at him. I never told him based on the incessant questions he would ask and the fact that I did not care to explain what dissociative personality disorder was.

“Chemical pathology, neurosurgery. Fellow of the Royal Society. Also a lawyer.” He said to both of us. I cracked a smile.

“Not a very good one.” I told Nick the insult rolling off Dr. Jekyll’s back. As he pushed past the both of us towards the table laid out behind us that looked like something out of an insane asylum. They hadn’t used those in ages.

“My name is Jekyll. Dr. Henry Jekyll.” He explained to Nick. As he picked up a sophisticated looking syringe.

“There you are. These days, I specialize in immunology, perhaps.” He said as he walked back towards us the ‘vaccine’ in hand.

“Infectious diseases perhaps. I would like, If I may, Mr. Morton to tell you a story. A story about a patient of mine. A man of promise. A man who believed he was beyond reproach until he got ill. The disease manifested itself in subtle ways at first. And then it grew into an overwhelming desire an unquenchable thirst…” He readied the syringe flicking the vial as he went about to inject himself. He placed the needle to his skin and sighed as the fluid hit his blood supply. Before his voice changed into one of a much deeper vernacular. He moved to sit down in his seat behind the desk.

“For chaos. For the suffering of others. He was quite fortunate. He himself was a physician. And if evil were a pathogen, to be reasoned then there must surely be a cure. I would like to, if I may, Mr. Morton to show you something.” He crossed the room coming back into our faces his voice changing back to normalcy. I smirked putting the pieces together. He had our mummy. Moving again to the locked scanner door he placed his palm on it, it scanned and upon recognition of the disgraced Doctor it opened with a click and we all walked through it. I looked in awe as I saw the room we had entered. Beautiful medieval architecture. A grand skylight above where Amhanet was being held in a circular prison. She was being held by chains as steam rose up to create an eerie scene. She looked up glaring at me. I looked to Nick behind me and saw his expression had not changed. He looked altogether, unfazed.

“Welcome to Prodigium, Mr. Morton. From the Latin: Monstrum Vel Prodigium. A warning of monsters. Forgive the state of things. We had very little time to prepare for our guest. And only the information Jennifer provided to go on. In truth, she works for us. It's not an exact science, this business.” I watched as Jennifer strode up to me with a blank expression on her face. She didn’t look ecstatic like when she had first told me about this job.

“And the business being?” Nick asked taking forever to catch on.

“Evil, Mr. Morton. Recognize, contain, examine, destroy. She is, by far, the most ancient we have ever encountered.” He said looking over to Ahmanet, no doubt a wide smile plastered on his face.

“What are you doing to her?” Nick asked as I looked at her closely, there were IV lines connected to her arms and neck. I cringed as I recognized the metallic silver liquid.

“Embalming her with mercury. At -38 degrees the mercury in her veins will solidify and she should be safe for dissection then.” Jekyll informed him.

“Dissection? You said that we'd study her.” Jenn burst out seeming infuriated.

“Yes, by dissection.” Jekyll said spinning on his heel to face her.

“But she is a living witness to a history that we barely know.” Jenny tried to reason with the mad doctor. Although to be completely honest I agreed with him, conflicted because I wanted to know more. Why she had been erased. Why she did what she did. What times were back then.

“She is a threat, Jennifer.” Jekyll spoke calmly.

“Hold on, hold on. So.. Where does that leave me?” Nick asked him as Jekyll paced around him.

“Cursed, Mr. Morton.” He answered confirming what we had originally thought outside the pub.

“This is not some common cold you have. Some chicken soup and a good night sleep will not make it go away. You have been selected as the vessel for the ultimate evil. And we are the only ones who can rectify that.” I watched as the emotions broke from Nicks formally stoic face. He looked at me as if to say, ‘help’. I dropped my eyes to the ground, I needed to get us out of here. 

“You cannot change your fate. The curse will never be broken. My chosen was murdered. You will take his place.” I heard the scratchy voice from behind me, I turned my head to stare at the mummy I had lifted from the tomb. Nick moved past me to Ahmanet almost fully regenerated. I was about to reply when I heard Nicks ancient Egyptian tear through the air like a fighter jet.

“But if you chose him, why were you going to kill him?” Nick asked as I was grabbed by Jekyll and Jennifer on each side.

“No.” They whispered to me. I tore my arms from their grip forcefully glaring at each of them.

“I was not going to kill him. I was going to give him eternal life. Make him a living God.” She told Nick trying to manipulate the truth.

“LIES.” I spat out in the language that could be considered dead. Nick looked back to me as I took my stance, she smiled and lowly laughed at me the laugh turning into a cough that no doubt stung her lungs. 

“You murdered your father.” Nick spoke slowly pushing her for the truth as to why she would not kill him despite everyone she already did.

“I loved my father with all my heart. I only wanted his love in return.” She said still spinning the web of lies.

“You killed his wife. Their child.” He said to her trying to get her to confess.

“Those were different times. The day of the awakening will soon be upon us. You will become Set. The world will fall to your desire. You will have power of life over death. And you will have me. I will be your queen. Just give in.” She said. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Nick. Nick, wake up. Wake up.” I yelled to him begging him to leave the bitch to her death by liquid mercury.

“They will kill you just as they killed my chosen before you.” She said to all of us.

“It burns.” She continued slowly.

“What?” Nick asked in English this time.

“It BURNS!” She yelled at us. I covered my ears crouching down from the squeal that had my ears aching.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop! Stop it! Stop!” Nick yelled to the men surrounding the chamber. As Ahmanet moaned in pain.

“Fascinating.” Dr. Jekyll said to us and walked off towards god knows where to check on whatever could be more pressing.

“Jenny a word…” I asked her as I pointed up towards the upstairs overlook where we could be in private. She nodded slowly as she led the way upstairs. Nick following like a hurt puppy behind us.

“What the hell?! You poached my find from me. I knew you would, but this is a bit out of control. If I’d known you’d gotten yourself into this much trouble I’d have at least tried to get you a more respectful job.” I whispered at her annoyed at her stupidity.

“What was I supposed to tell you? Would you even have believed me if I said that this place was real? When Henry came to me I took the job because we had a common interest.” I rolled my eyes crossing my arms as we took a seat on the overlook. I sat between the two as to make sure no fights would break out. Though I was having a hard time not strangling the woman next to me.

"Yes I would have, as crazy as it is." I told her through my teeth. Knowing my family had lived through much worse than this. 3 fucking mummies. This was only one and I was having trouble containing the entire situation. It felt like failure. But it was not over yet. 

“So you are using each other.” Nick said to Jenny referring to Jekyll.

“Now, she's using you.” Jenny told him clearly trying to get out of the spotlight. She sighed unhappily.

“Look. Despite what you might think despite my, my better judgment I care about you. Somewhere in there, fighting to get out is a good man.” She told him looking absolutely defeated knowing she would never get the information she wanted working for Jekyll. She was already disgraced in our community. Both she and I knew it from the moment she accepted the job.

“You don't know that.” Nick told her looking into her eyes across from me in the middle.

“I do.” She said.

“How?” Nick asked her, Jennifer pulled out my phone that she had in her pocket. Thank god it was password protected. I wouldn’t want her to get that information that was currently saved in the files. I looked at it and stood up turning it on and waited.

“You saved my life on that plane. You gave me the only parachute without hesitation.” She said as I looked at the phone as the lock screen powered up. I quickly swiped up seeing a missed call from Josephine. It dialed her back and I held the phone to my ear.

“I think I found something. I can’t talk long but we found it. Though there’s some men here from Jekylls industry. We won’t have much time before they know where it is.” She told me hurriedly and in a whisper as I walked slowly down the stairs to go see Ahmanet. Leaving Jenny and Nick to talk.

“I’m in a bit of a bind right now. But I’ll see what I can do in the meantime to slow things down here. Just get out of there as soon as you can. I have a feeling they know exactly where you two are.” I told her in a whisper. She agreed and hung up the phone. I walked towards the circular basin where they had placed my mummy.

“You have seen… What you must know... I have studied the word of the old gods and the new.” I told her slowly as I studied her features. The rotten muscle exposed on her shoulders the collar around her neck pumping the mercury into her veins. The chains rattled as she pulled on them to get closer to me. The mercury stopping her movements just as soon as she had started. 

“The old Gods?” She uttered out at me unhappy that I had, in her mind, disgraced the only gods she had ever known.

“Your language is simple. What you truly wish to know is what lies beyond the veil of death. To know what I have seen?” Ahmanet asked me. It wasn’t what I wanted to know. But I led her to believe that’s what I wanted. I did want to see Evelyn, Ardeth and Jonathan. I did want to know they were alright. That when it was time for me to go there was something to look forward to on the other side of death. But that was not what I was after this time around.

“Yes.” I uttered out to her my lower jaw grinding into my upper as I lied through my teeth.

“And you will, when I kill you.” She told me. I smiled, tempting her to do so.

“I’d like to see you try princess.” I told her choosing a more rash side to portray.

“They have found the stone. You brought my chosen here. What do you think they will do with him now?” She asked me, I broke eye contact with the double eyed demon and looked up into the rafters seeing that Nick was no where to be found and Jenny was staring at me conversing with Ahmanet. I knew she understood the words she spoke. We shared a look and knew we needed to get back to Nick wherever he had wandered off to. I met her at the bottom of the stairs she grabbed my hand and rushed towards one of Jekylls right hand men. We followed him towards the door that was take us back into the office I had come through originally.

“Excuse me, sir. They found it.” I grimaced as I heard the words in the goons' voice.

“What found.. what?” Nick asked us as we appeared behind the man who we followed here.

“Henry. Are you planning on killing him?” Jennifer cut through the silence as Jekyll took in the information that was presented to him.

“Kill him?” Nick asked me as I moved to his side.

“Jennifer…” he started but was cut off by Nick once again.

“Kill who?” Nick asked him. The dread in his voice seeping through to his features.

“Mr. Morton here essentially killed himself when he severed the barrier chain that had kept Ahmanets power imprisoned for 5,000 years. He was chosen as her ideal candidate. A thief, physically capable, compulsively devious and utterly devoid of soul.” Jekyll explained to the now perplexed Jennifer. She had gotten herself into a world that she could not comprehend and had no idea what was going to come. I rolled my eyes for the gazillionith time today.

“What?” Nick asked as Jennifer stepped over his confusion.

“What? That's insane. Do you want to put the stone in the dagger and stab him with it?” Jennifer asked as she put the pieces together.

“The dagger will allow Set to enter his body. And then we obliterate it.” He said to us as if he had the ‘evil world’ all figured out.

“That’s not exactly humane or how anyone who has done this before would do this.” I told him.

“So you’re telling me that Josephine and Richard O’Connell saved the Americans that opened the chest that essentially sealed their fate as well?” Jekyll spoke to me. I shockingly stared at him. My words failing me.

“I’m saying they would’ve and did try, despite their best efforts Imhotep was too strong.” I told him after a second of silence.

"Dr. O'Connell, you cannot possibly believe for one second that your great grandparents were there to save the world from peril AND save their friends they had made in the process? Decisions I'm sure had to be made to keep the peace. Regardless, if they were hard to make." He spoke to me, my blood boiled with anger. 

“Wait, wait, wait. Do you want to stab me with that thing? Intentionally?” Nick asked as he looked at me the turmoil playing like a movie on his face.

“Precisely what the Egyptians should have done. You see, they interrupted a ritual in process and that is a mistake we cannot afford to repeat-- clearly.” Jekyll told the 3 of us looking to me at the last part.

“That's the plan?” Nick asked us.

“We are not Egyptians. We are Doctors! We have a duty to contain it, yes. But kill an innocent man in the process, I don't think so!” I yelled before I was cut off by Jennifer.

“Henry, you can't possibly do this.” She said as she moved closer to her mentor as he almost fell into his desk distracting me from the moment. I stepped back slowly knowing his alternate personality could be coming through at any moment.

“That's your plan?” Nick asked again.

“Nick stop repeating yourself.” I told him getting annoyed at his antics.

“The dominoes are already falling. We haven't much time. Unfortunately, it is a risk we must take.” Jekyll tried to convince us it was the only option.

“You heard Ahmanet. Your curse cannot be broken. I am truly sorry, Mr. Morton. No matter what I do, you are going to die. Yes, evil is a disease. A pestilent pustulant infection borrowing its way into our souls. The world needs a cure. You can be that cure.” He continued on his tirade, his voice lowering and his movements shifting as he tried to get to the vial and needle needed to stop his transformation.

“Stop.” Nick tried to reason with the man who was turning into the evil he had described as his ‘patient’ earlier that evening.

“A sacrifice for the greater good!” He yelled once more trying to get his point across to Nick.

“I'm not interested in that at all.” Nick said to him as Jekyll fell behind his desk in pain, yelling. He rolled the syringe almost off the desk but Nick grabbed it.

“Nick… I know you don’t know much about psychology but that is what seemingly is keeping him in control.” I told him quickly getting the words out as I took another step backwards towards the door.

“Don't! Give me the injector.” Jekyll yelled at him.

“We are just gonna take a minute and we are all gonna come up with a new plan.” Nick told us trying desperately to save his own ass.

“We have to go.” The goon said behind us. I stepped back again with Jennifer doing the same.

“You don't know what you are doing.” He said to him.

“Really? I know exactly what I'm doing.” Nick told him again hoping to get the situation back under control.

“Nick...” I breathed out as I watched Jekylls body convulse and become someone else.

“Oh my dear Henry Jekyll if ever I've ever seen Satans signature upon a face is on that of your new friend.” Jekyll rose up his entire body performing a 180. His new evil friend coming out to play.

“Hey, hey hey! Take it!” Nick told him as he realized the gravity of the situation. He set the vial down on the desk and backed away his hands up in surrender.

“Run, Mr. Morton.” I heard Jekyll utter out as he reached for the vial.

“What?” Nick asked him as he had never seen this happen before to a human being.

“Run!” Jekyll yelled as I was pulled through the door behind Jenny. I looked towards the locked door begging the man to open it again. He shook his head as I continually banged on the door hoping Nick would be alright, but it was a far stretch. A door opened to my left and I took the opportunity leaving the other two in the dust as I ran through it, I needed to get Nick out as soon as possible.

“Elizabeth!! STOP!” I heard Jenny yelling behind me as I sprinted off in the opposite direction of safety.


	10. Underground

I ran into the library knowing there was someone behind me. I slowed my pace and looked around. I noticed the ornate bindings on books surrounding me, these must be more than 5,000 years old and kept in excellent condition. There was little time to get around to looking at them all as much as I wanted to. I heard the person get closer to me, I pulled the first book I noticed off the desk and stared at the coverings, the original Book of the Living was staring right back at me. I heard Nick yelling from the room next to me as I turned around to look through the glass pane that separated us. I set the book down on the table next to me.   
“I'm offering you a partnership. You, evil incarnate. Me, your good friend, Eddie Hyde. Think about it.” Hyde told Nick as Nick laid on the ground listening to the fool.   
“Elizabeth!” I heard Nick yell to me as I grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall trying to break the glass that separated us. I felt arms around me as I struggled with the attacker. I raised my legs above to throw off the dude's balance behind me. As I did this we fell over backwards into the table behind me throwing off the Book of the Living. I quickly hopped up and grabbed the book rushing behind the shelves in between to get some distance between my attacker and I.   
“Elizabeth, stop!” He yelled to me. As he was around the corner from me. Thinking fast I threw a book off the shelf next to me and that got his attention moving forwards. I quickly took the Book of the Living in both hands and smacked him with it over the head. He fell down, I held onto the book knowing what it could be used for and essentially returning it to Josephine. I rushed back through the maze of corridors that led me there.   
“Come on. We have to destroy the stone.” I told him quickly as he held onto my forearms for dear life.  
“What?” He asked incredulously.   
“No stone, no ritual.” I explained slowly so he could catch up to where my head was at.  
“No ritual...No curse.” He said back to me.  
“Yes. I know where it is.” I told him, grabbing my phone out of my pocket and pointing to it, still holding onto the Book of the Living. We ran out of the door and up the stairs to the above overhang. Nick kept running as electrical wiring fell separating me from him.   
“NICK!” I yelled to him.   
“Do not let her in!” I yelled as I noticed him looking at her. Quickly I made the decision to jump across the fire to get him to safety.   
“Nick… Let’s go!” I told him as I pushed him away from Ahmanet’s gaze.   
“Wait, wait, which way out?” He asked me as we ran towards a relatively empty room.  
“I don't know. But Jenn should, she works here after all.” I said to him as I quickly started to yell for Jennifer. She ran up and past me through the door directly in front of us.   
“That way, I suppose!” I yelled at Nick with a hint of sarcasm.  
“I SUMMON THE SANDS OF EGYPT… TAKE ME IN! DELIVER HIM TO ME!” I heard Ahmanet chant in ancient egyptian as we burst out a door that looked like it took us to the Museum of Natural History in New York. There was a giant mammoth in front of a lovely balcony stairwell. As Ahmanet reached her final scream all of the glass panes shattered in front of me. I ducked down covering my head out of instinct. As people started screaming and running all around us. Jenny quickly grabbed my arm and we ran through a study area glass shattering behind us papers flying everywhere as people scattered out of the building through any means necessary to get away from the invisible force. More and more exhibits ruined as we burst outside into the daylight stormy London. As we turned a corner on the street I stopped in my tracks book in hand as I saw the dust storm come close to us. Just like what I had seen in the helicopters when we were moving the artifact. The sand flew towards us as I screamed at my group:  
“Time to go!” I yelled over the strong winds as buildings were being torn apart. I grabbed Nicks hand as I started to run away again. Ahmanet now walked the streets of London, unaware of the damage she had done with only one thing on her mind… Nick. The storm was gaining on us as we flew through the streets, I took a shortcut through an alley which was a bad idea as more and more glass started to shatter around me. I ran out into the open street watching the sand swirl around me. Nick grabbed me, pulling me to the ground as a car flew over us. As Nick lifted us from our position he started to jog towards something. Quickly he realized that a trolley was flying towards us. He pushed me out of the way and jumped through the opening in the windshield.  
“NICK!” Both Jenny and I yelled.   
“We are headed to the crusader burial chamber.” I said as I noticed as Jenny pulled me away running towards a sewer grate in the ground.  
“What? Jennifer. My mom and dad…” I started as I shook my head in disbelief.   
“They’ll be okay. We have to get to Nick first if you want him to live.” She told me as I clutched the Book of the Living towards my chest. I followed after her getting down the ladder as she called for Nick.  
“Nick?” She started and continued calling his name out.   
“Nick!” I yelled as I heard something behind me. An undead crusader lurched towards me right as I turned around to see Nick stick a knife into his neck. He fell and Nick engulfed me in a hug.   
“I won't let anything happen to you. No matter what she does. Okay?” He asked me as I heard the train beep behind us.   
“Okay…” I whispered to him as he pulled us off the tracks Jenny was on the other side of Nick and I in the tunnel. I screamed as I noticed the mummy getting closer to us.   
“NICK!” I screamed as he grabbed me closer to him.   
“You shouldn't be here.” He told both Jenny and I as the train passed he took a metal pipe from the wall and started beating the mummy with it, finally taking off it’s head.   
“I followed you!” Jenny yelled at him before I had the chance to.  
“Now’s not the time people, we have company!” I yelled at them to stop them from an argument waiting to happen.   
“Jenny! GO GET OUT OF HERE!” I yelled to her, she quickly ran off in the opposite direction as Nick grabbed me and pulled me further into the underground tunnel of the new subway station, the mummies on our tails.


	11. Avoiding Death

She ran as fast as she could out of the tunnel and never looked back. I looked back to Nick as he pulled me through a door and shut it behind us. I looked back at the zombies of death as they tried to use their boney fingers to get through the chicken wire on the fence not succeeding. Nick pulled me away from the door with the Book of the Living clutched in my other hand he led me further into the maze underground. As we were walking, Nick was clutching my arm for dear life. A stray mummy popped out of nowhere and pushed us through a no crossing barricade and through the bricks that made up the wall. It ended up pushing us into some water. As I sunk I slowly realized where I was and tried to swim towards the surface, the Book of the Living holding a significant portion of the weight on my other arm. I watched as Nick took the Book from my hands and pulled me upwards towards the air. A mummy grabbed my ankle attempting to pull me back down, Nick noticed this and hit the guy with the Book of the Living. We breached the surface, the first words out of my mouth being.

“NICK! That’s the Book of the Living!” I yelled at him. 

“Are you okay?” He asked me clearly concerned about me and not about the precious artifact.

“Where are we?” I asked him confused about where we had fallen into.

“I don't know.” Nick replied not too sure of himself. 

“Are you okay?” He asked me again, grabbing my face pushing my hair away from my eyes. 

“I'm scared.” I told him truthfully, still gasping for air. 

“Just look at me. We are gonna figure this out. Just, I need you to just stay with me, please. We are gonna figure this out.. I need you to just stay with me. Just stay with me. We'll think of something.” He told me rapidly, repeating himself to make me feel better. 

“Nick, I’m sorry… I know it’s not the right time, but I might not get another chance to say it... ” I told him as he shushed me looking past my shoulder at something behind me. 

“Nick.” I whispered out. Just when I was pulled out of his grasp and back below the surface I reached out for him but he just slipped through my fingers. As Ahmanet dragged me towards blackness. I tried to fight her off but to no avail. Her grip on me was unbreakable. The need for air overwhelmed me and I let go. I can’t explain the pain I felt losing my last bit of oxygen. It was like my lungs had collapsed and the crushing pressure that was on my shoulders was gone. I was gone. My surroundings changed almost dramatically.

I was in my childhood home. My deceased family were there in chairs surrounding me. 

“Hi love.” Jonathan Carnahan smiled at me. 

“Jonathan, let the girl breathe first.” Evelyn told him as I looked around at where I was. The wallpaper was the same as I remembered it as a little girl. I took a deep breath of air and slowly just took it in. Ardeth Bay smiled from beside her caressing her hand as she talked to me.

“What happened? Where’s Nick?” I asked them as I tried to get a hold of my shaky hands. I knew what this was. Josephine had explained her death experience to me once before. It was something she wishes she would get back for just a minute. 

“Nothing. Honey, this is just a visit. Nothing permanent, yet.” She told me. 

“Oh Evy don’t scare our great grand niece. She’s only just got here and by god if you ruin another one of these for someone else.” Jonathan all but burst out of his chair with annoyance. 

“Okay...” I breathed out trying not to panic. 

“Sweetheart. I’m going to teach you a thing or two.” He smiled at me as he knelt down in front of me. 

“Oh Jonathan, not another one of your 'money is the key to life' stories. The girl might as well just be here by herself.” Evelyn burst, dropping her husband's hand and walking over to me. 

“Listen to me. You have done an eloquent job keeping our family name out of the rubbish. I’m so glad you found Josephines and I’s journal that we co-wrote together. It was one of my prized possessions, I’m so glad you put it to good use.” Evelyn told me. I nodded at her not believing she was really here. 

“So I guess my question is now what?” I asked them all.

“As as I said previously in my life Ms. Elizabeth, only the journey is written not the destination.” Ardeth told me as I watched Jonathan roll his eyes at the man. 

“Yes, yes we know we’ve heard it all before. Blah blah blah.” Jonathan muttered back in his chair. 

“So can I ask you guys how exactly you guys defeated the same mummy not once but twice?” I asked them the question just falling out of my mouth as if I had no filter. 

“Well, yes of course sweetheart, but get comfortable it’s a long story.” Evelyn told me smiling at both her brother and husband. 

***JOSEPHINE’S POV***

I watched paralyzed from the corner behind a tomb where Rick and I were perched. I watched as Nick pulled my great granddaughter from the water, lifeless. I saw the pain and regret flash through his eyes as he mourned internally. 

“So any bright ideas Joe?” Rick whispered to me as I watched Ahmanet's minions disappear into sand before my eyes. 

“I’m thinking...” I told him as I didn't want to make our presence known just yet. 

“Don't blame yourself. She was always doomed. There are worse fates than death. Come to me.” Ahmanet whispered to Nick, her hand holding the dagger with the stone in place. I was pissed we had to leave it behind as to not be seen or followed, we were waiting for the opportune moment to make ourselves known and get it back. I noticed a book in Nick’s hand, one I hadn’t seen in centuries. I nudged my husband making the presence of the book known to him. 

“Joe… That’s… We could save Elizabeth and kill Ahmanet. You memorized those spells. Can we just do it again?” Rick asked me as he moved closer to the tomb where we were spying from. 

“Let’s just wait a minute. I need the books to do the spells without them it'll do noting. We don’t even have the key Rick.” I told him as he grumbled at the inconvenience. I watched as Nick slowly rose from the ground and started running at Ahmanet she caught him immediately and threw him to the ground grabbing his neck. While her attention was away from him on the otherside I ducked around the corner keeping close to the ground to not draw attention to us. No one seemed to notice as I grabbed the book and made my way back to Rick. 

“It hurts. I know. Let me take pain away.” She told him from below. I looked at Rick, not hopeful for our situation. He smiled, as he reached into his rucksack and brought forth the key I needed to open the book. I watched slowly as I grabbed the key from Rick. I smiled at him but we shared an unneeded conversation. Ahmanet threw Nick away from her across the room towards the wall we were near. Nick looked at us, I put a finger to my lips as he got up and ran towards Ahmanet again.

“When did you get this?” I asked Rick with my eyes.

“I asked Victoria and Alex for it before we left, I figured we may need it.” He smirked at me. I smiled back at him falling into those ocean blue eyes.

“Once we open this we reveal our position.” I told him silently.

“I know we’re going to have to be quick about it. We need Nick to hold out as long as he can then we will drag her back to hell.” He nodded acknowledging the problem.

I watched what unfolded before us ready to jump to Nick’s side if he needed help. He ran once again towards Ahmanet and she smacked him down to the ground like she had done before. 

“Give in to me.” Ahmanet yelled at Nick as he crawled towards our position. I quickly tapped Rick telling him to get ready to move around the tomb we were currently at. Nick thrust a dagger into Ahmanet’s leg just as she grabbed his leg and started to drag him away from our position. She turned and glared at him as she grabbed the dagger out of her leg and thrust it into his. He yelled out in pain. As she threw him away from her yet again. Nick lay on the ground mouthing for us to help him. But we couldn't just yet. It killed me to watch him suffer like this. He grabbed her arm as she went to pull him up again by his throat this time. 

“Give in. Give in. When it's over you will thank me. I promise.” She whispered to him as his hand moved towards the dagger, she licked his cheek in the process. 

“I'm sorry. We are just never gonna happen. And it's not me. It's you.” Nick choked out and I smirked. He was always so clever with his words. Like I said before, he reminded me of Jonathan. She threw him once again across the room, Ahmanet stopped looking down at her hands realizing what he had done.

“Thief.” She uttered out. 

“Now Rick.” I told him as he popped out from behind the stone and started plastering Ahmanet with bullets as Nick turned the dagger upside down to destroy the stone pounding it into the ground as he did so. It cracked and Ahmanet threw her energy into Rick. I opened the book and flipped to the page that I knew would make her mortal. 

“Kadeesh mal, Kadeesh mal pared oos pared oss.” I echoed my sisters previous words through the temple of the railway. A gust of wind threw my hair back and a blue chariot, the one I’d seen previously took away her immortality. I honestly was surprised it worked, since she was cursed by Set the god of death. I guess he didn’t have all the power that one would’ve thought he might. I smirked at my work. 

“Wait! Destroy the stone and all is lost. You will be a living God. You will have the power of life over death. Give it to me, my chosen. Give it to me, my love.” She tried her last effort to have him hand it over. Rick unloaded his submachine gun into her and she fell lifeless to the ground. She fell into a fetal position, turning to sand. A gust of wind howled through the tunnels. 

“Thank you.” Nick told both Rick and I as I started to grab the Book of the Dead from Rick’s rucksack. I thrust the Book of the Living into his hands and walked towards my great granddaughter. I settled on the ground next to her figure. 

“Don’t thank me yet, we’re not done.” I told him as I put the key inside and unlocked the book. I sighed before I flipped it open the pages heavy beneath my fingers. I had never done this resurrection spell before. I was hoping it would go just as Alex had done to bring me back. 

“Hootash naraba oos Veesloo. Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei. Efday Shokran... Efday Shokran Ahmenophus!” I waited a moment, gesturing for Nick to come up next to me as the book did it’s magic. A golden light appeared from her body and settled there. I gazed at it hopefully. Rick at my other side gripping my hand that held one edge of the book. 

“Elizabeth, Elizabeth, please wake up. Please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Liz.” He said as he was over her. I watched as my great granddaughter woke up coughing up water. I smiled, relieved, looking at Rick seeing him smile back at me happily. All was okay, I was thrilled we were here to help with the mummies, retirement didn’t look good on either of us. I smiled as he grabbed me in a hug. 

***ELIZABETH POV***

“Nick? Nick!” I screamed awake. Seeing his face, he quickly pulled me into a kiss I had been wanting for years. 

“I have made so many, many mistakes. But not this time. Not you. I don't want to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you. I’m so sorry Elizabeth.” He said as he pulled me into a giant bear hug.

“You won't.” I replied seeing the devastation in his eyes as he pulled away from me. 

“We didn't see this coming, did we?” He asked me, I laughed and looked to my left to see Josephine and Rick. 

“No, we certainly did not.” I laughed out as he helped me to my feet.

“Never again...” He told me as he walked me towards my great grandparents. 

“We’ll keep these for safekeeping.” Rick told me as he stored the Book of the Living and Book of the Dead into his bag. I smiled happy they had received my gift. 

“Sounds good, I’m glad you got what I brought from Jekyll's lab.” I told them. 

“Yes, we’re very grateful without it we wouldn't have been able to destroy Ahmanet.” Josephine told me. 

“Let’s get going, if I know Jenny at all she’ll bring the cavalry back with her.” I told them all and they nodded slowly as we made our way back into the sunlight of London.

Authors Note:

There will be another last chapter to end the finale of my Mummy series. I hope it'll be good enough for everyone who has stuck with me over the last couple of years! :) I thank you guys so much for making these the BEST books I have ever had the pleasure of writing. Please let me know if you'd like any imagines or anything at all. I don't think I'll ever give this series up. I love them so much. 

Thank you

Gallagher8


	12. Surprises

After a very long 24 hours I was finally back in my apartment. I couldn’t wait to take a shower and get out of these soiled clothes. I sighed looking towards my bed seeing something I never thought I would see again. Evelyn and Josephine’s journal. I smiled at it proudly, walking towards the small booklet on the bed. The leather was worn out from the many readings that it had gone through. I flipped through the pages and sat down on my comforter forgetting about the needs and went through the motions. I quickly grabbed a pen from my bedside table and jotted just one sentence down.

“Between darkness and light, good or evil, the Carnahan and O’Connell legacy will live on forever.”

I smiled at my handwriting, closed the journal and decided to get out of my clothes. I started the shower when I felt arms wrap around my torso.

“Mind if I join you?” I heard Nick’s voice ring through the room bouncing off the tiles on the wall.

“Not at all.” I smiled as I moved into the shower with him behind me. I felt the water washing away all my original unsatisfied needs, to live up to my family's legacy, I had done that. The man I fell in love with, I had. The career I always wanted, had it. I was fulfilled. I had everything I needed here with me. Nick’s hands tangled in my hair as he tried to brush through it. Getting the dirt and rubbish out of my hair. He shampooed it for me as I stood there and let him do the work for me. He surprisingly didn't try anything though it was the first time he’d seen me naked in years. As he finished washing me off I returned the favor, being careful not to bother the bruises on his body from being thrown around like a ragdoll. I ran my fingers down his toned body happy to have him back in my arms. I smiled as I pulled him into a hug and we stood there for what seemed like forever just letting the water wash over us.

As we got out of the shower I decided it was time to get a little nap before the new day started. I pulled back the covers and got in before Nick was even out of the bathroom my dreams had taken over. I did feel him get in next to me cuddling up next to me.

When I woke up the next day feeling fairly refreshed but still exhausted. Nick was nowhere to be found. I looked to my right to see a note near my bed. “Don’t freak out, I’m making us food for dinner. You slept late.” His messy handwriting covered the sticky note. I smiled holding the note to my chest. I pulled the covers back getting out of bed still in my robe. I was so insanely surprised when I walked over to the door to find another one “Nope, don’t leave the room… If you ignore this (which I know you will) get dressed first.” I scoffed at this one. Not happy to pull on my regular outfits I settled for a dress I noticed had been pulled from the wardrobe and hung on the door of my closet. I quickly threw it over my head and walked towards the bathroom near the vanity. “Get dolled up if you want, you’re are absolutely stunning without it in my eyes.” I smiled slowly opening the cabinet to grab my makeup doing my slowly taking my time to get the right brown smokey eye I wanted. I threw in my hoops I rarely ever wore, threw on the finishing touches of mascara and moved my way out of the bathroom. To the door and out to my living area. I smiled as I noticed the roses scattering the floor and the lilacs and lavender in the vase. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I noticed Nick in a suit cooking. I crept up behind him and hugged him.

“I knew you wouldn’t stay in bed.” Nick told me as he turned around.

“You know me well. Apparently I don't know this side of you.” I told him as he planted a kiss on my lips.

“I’m full of surprises.” He told me then turned back around to finish up his cooking. He plated the steak and asparagus from the oven.

“It seems you are.” I replied as he walked me towards the dining table.

“Listen Elizabeth...” My breath caught in my throat as I knew where his words would either be terrible or amazing. He set the plates onto the table and pulled a box out of his jacket. As he knelt down in front of me,

“During these past couple of weeks I’ve been thinking about how much a mistake it was for me to let you leave me. Never again will I ever let that happen. I love you. I’ve been wanting to do this for years now, but now it just feels right, after everything we’ve conquered, I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else beside me. I’m done sleeping around, I’m done being the player, the thief. Will you marry me?” He stared up at me with a dazzling smile opening up the box to reveal a beautiful marquise set diamond with a silver band.

“Yes!! Yes of course I will.” I choked out through the tears that were threatening to fall from my cheeks. He slid the ring onto my finger and kissed me fully.

I enjoyed an amazing dinner that night followed by a visit to the bar where we went out with my family. I thought I had everything I wanted but this was it. My family surrounding me celebrating my engagement. I smiled as we all clinked our champagne glasses together. It was an end of an era, a very happy ending. I knew those that had passed were smiling down at us happy everything was finally at peace.


End file.
